Receptacle

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a receptacle ( 1 ) for a liquid or paste-like product, in particular a cosmetic product, the receptacle having a removal part ( 5 ) and a storage space for the product, the removal part ( 5 ) being introducible into the storage space and being withdrawable by being brought through a wiping device ( 20 ). In order to provide a receptacle which allows a favorable state of loading with product for the withdrawn removal part, as far as possible in accordance with individual preferences, the invention proposes that the wiping device ( 20 ) can be altered by action from outside with regard to a wiping effect.

The invention relates to a receptacle for a liquid or paste-like product, in particular a cosmetic product, the receptacle having a removal part and a storage space for the product, the removal part being introducible into the storage space and being withdrawable by being brought through a wiping device.

Receptacles of this kind are already known in a variety of configurations, in particular in the form of mascara receptacles with applicators. Reference is made for example to GB 2312617A, DE 196 42 720 A1 and EP 1066 771 B1 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,584 B1 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,334 B1). In regard to a removal part, which is also to be designated as an applicator, reference is made for example to DE 101 02 219 A1 (US 20050034740 A1).

In order to prevent dripping-off or falling-off of product from the withdrawn removal part or applicator, it is known to provide a wiping device in the exit region of the storage receptacle. On the other hand, it is frequently observed that a wiping device of this kind develops an action which is too great or too little.

Starting from the state of the art set out, the invention is concerned with the problem of providing a receptacle, as set out at the beginning, which allows a favorable state of loading with product of the withdrawn removal part, as far as possible in accordance with individual preferences.

One possible solution to this problem is provided according to a first concept of the invention by an item in which the wiping device can be altered by action from outside with respect to a wiping effect.

According to the invention, it is recognized that an adaptation to individual requirements can be achieved in the removal of product by providing that the wiping device can be altered as to its wiping effect, in particular by action from the outside. The user can, without having to access the interior of the receptacle and having to change for example a part, regulate the wiping action according the user's needs. In this way, there can also be achieved in principle a different [wiping] action in regard to different products, or this may optionally be pre-set by the manufacturer.

Further features of the invention are described and illustrated below, also in the description of the Figures and in the drawings, often in their preferred association with the claim concept explained. They may also be of importance in association with one or more individual features, which are described here or are illustrated in the drawings, or independently, or in another overall concept.

The adjustment of the wiping action may be achieved in various ways. It is therefore possible for example to displace a wiping protrusion by the action from outside, or to bring differently hard wiping bristles into position.

Preferred however is for the wiping device to have an opening which can be changed as regards its free opening area. The wiping device is formed as a constriction, which is passed through by the removal part in the course of the withdrawal. This constriction, which is an opening, can preferably be altered as to its free opening area. For example, this can be achieved by an iris-like configuration of the passageway. By displacement in the manner of an iris shutter in a camera, the opening may for example in this way be altered.

It is preferred for the opening to be formed by a cylindrical region which is passed through. This is in particular a cylinder, the elongate axis of which extends in the direction of movement of the removal part. The wiping action can thus be extended over a certain longitudinal extent.

It is further preferred that the region which is passed through can be changed as to its degree of constriction. Basically this can be achieved by forming a gap, in that a cylindrical part is pressed together, for example centrally, so that a gap to be passed through results. It is preferred for the constricting to be effected by turning the region which is passed through about a longitudinal axis of the region which is passed through.

It is also preferred for the region which is passed through to be formed from an elastic material. For example, this may be a rubber-like material. Particularly preferred, in connection with plastics injection-molded parts, of which the receptacle preferably consists, is a thermoplastic elastomer.

Preferred furthermore also is for the region which is passed through to be formed by a separate part that is passed through. The part that is passed through may however already be connected to a further part, during manufacture, for example by manufacture using the two-component injection-molding method. It may however also be welded or glued for example to one or more further parts.

The part that is passed through may in particular be sleeve-like, for example a sleeve consisting of a rubber-like [material] or a TPE. By this, the adjustment of the wiping action may be achieved by a base region of the sleeve being turned relative to a head region of the sleeve. In this way, a constricting comes about in the middle region, which provides the desired narrowing of the free cross-section of the through passage.

It is further preferred for the receptacle to have an adjustment part. The adjustment part is accessible from outside for the user and enables the action on the wiping device for adjusting the wiping effect.

The adjustment part may be displaceable relative to the storage part that forms the storage space. For example, the adjustment part can be provided to be rotatable. The rotatable adjustment part can be used to turn the upper edge region mentioned, for example of the sleeve.

Furthermore it is also preferred for the part that is passed through that forms the region which is passed through to be connected on the one hand to the storage part and on the other hand to the adjustment part. The connection to the storage space part may be fixed, in particular in the circumferential and axial directions, for example by manufacture as already stated using the two-component injection-molding method.

It is furthermore preferred for the part that is passed through to be connected to one of the parts, preferably the adjustment part, only in a manner which is rotationally-fixed but is axially displaceable. In this way, the part that is passed through can be turned only at one of its end regions relative to the other end region, but at the same time, it can move axially in the course of a reduction in length that accompanies this turning. If, as is preferred, it is formed in the shape of a sleeve, especially of elastic material, there can therefore take place a constriction or tapering in the middle region of the part that is passed through, in dependence on the relative rotation.

Moreover, it is also preferred for the adjustment part to be latchingly displaceable relative to the storage space.

The invention is explained further below with reference to the appended drawings, which, however, only show an exemplary embodiment. The figures show the following:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view, from the outside, of the entire receptacle;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the receptacle;

FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal cross-section through the receptacle according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, sectioned along the plane III-III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows the region IV-IV in FIG. 3 in enlarged detail;

FIG. 5 shows a cross-section through the item according to FIG. 1, sectioned along the line V-V;

FIG. 6 shows an illustration corresponding to FIG. 4, but with the removal part partly withdrawn, in a first setting of opening width for the wiping device;

FIG. 7 shows an illustration corresponding to FIG. 6, in a second setting of opening width for the wiping part;

FIG. 8 shows a further illustration corresponding to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, in a still narrower setting of opening width for the wiping part;

FIG. 9 shows an exploded illustration of the receptacle.

Shown and described, as a whole in a realization as a mascara applicator 1, is a receptacle that has a removal part, which basically consists of a protective cap 2, a storage part 3, an adjustment part 4 and a removal part 5.

An overall cylindrical configuration of the receptacle is preferred. The adjustment part 4 can be arranged to be aligned with the storage part 3 and the protective cap 2 and/or be disposed between these in the vertical direction.

As is shown in particular from the cross-sectional illustrations of FIGS. 3, 4, and 6 to 8, the storage part 3 is provided with a rotatably-connected actuating part 6, which interacts with respect to a latching part, for example a latching cam 7, which is rotationally-fixed to the storage part 3 but is however preferably displaceable transversely to a longitudinal axis of the receptacle, thus is displaceable inwardly. As is to be seen for example from the exploded illustration of FIG. 9, the latching part, preferably the latching cam 7, is fixed, preferably by being snapped-on, to a latching cam part 8, which is fixedly connected to a neck region 9 of the storage part 3, in particular and in any case in a rotationally-fixed manner.

In the non-use condition, the removal part 5 is pushed into the storage part 3. The removal part 9 has on the one hand a handle end 10 and on the other hand a removal tip 11. The removal tip 11 is preferably provided with bristles 12.

Furthermore, the protective cap 2 engages over the removal part 10.

A wiping device 20 is disposed adjacent to the neck region 9 of the storage part 3 in the removal direction. The wiping device 20 consists of a wiping part 13 which is preferably sleeve-like and is preferably an elastomer part. It is preferably basically cylindrical in shape. The wiping part 13 can be manufactured to have a wall which extends concavely in cross-section, as seen from the outside, as is to be seen from FIG. 3, which shows a starting position, the wall accordingly leading to a certain constriction in the interior.

The wiping part 13 is provided with a mounting portion 14 at one end, preferably [made] by the two component injection molding method, the mounting portion being accommodated in a guide 15 so as to be vertically movable. Depending on the setting of the wiping device, see for example also by comparison with FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, the mounting portion travels vertically downwards. While the wiping part 13 preferably consists of a soft material, in particular a TPE, the mounting portion 14 preferably consists of a hard plastics material.

At its base, thus associated with the storage part 3, the wiping part 13 is also preferably connected to a 16 of hard plastics material, in particular also produced by the two component injection molding method. By means of this base part 16, the wiping part is fixedly connected to the neck 9, in particular in any case in a rotationally-fixed manner. The neck region 9 is formed to taper correspondingly, so that the base part 16 and the latching cam part 8 which is in the embodiment furthermore also arranged to be radially outward with respect to the neck region, and the actuating part 6 that engages over the neck region, fit into a cylindrical outer surface 17 of the storage part 3.

The latching cam part 8 is likewise connected to the storage part 3 in a rotationally-fixed manner, in the embodiment portion by means of the base part 16.

The protective cap 2 is connected to the removal part 5 at least to be rotationally fixed to it. The protective cap 5 is moreover capable of being screwed onto the actuating part 6 by means of inner and outer screw threads 18, 19.

The latching cam part 8 is held in a rotationally-fixed manner on the base part 16 by means of guides 21. The adjustment of the wiping device is effected basically by the ends of the wiping part, which here equates to the part that is passed through, being rotated in opposite directions. For this, one end, preferably the base part 16, is connected to the storage part 3 in a rotationally-fixed manner. The upper end, preferably the mounting end 14 of the wiping part, is coupled to the actuating part 6 for rotation therewith. A rotation of the actuating part 6 relative to the storage part 3 thus brings about at the same time a rotation of the upper region of the wiping part 13 relative to its base part 16. By virtue of this, there comes about a change in the constriction (FIGS. 6 to 8).

As regards use, matters proceed as follows:

First of all, a wiping setting is selected in the closed condition according to FIG. 1. For this, the receptacle is held firmly in the lower region, the latch knob 7 is then pressed in, and the actuating part 6 is rotated relative to the storage part 3 until the desired setting is reached and this setting is secured again by the latch knob 7. The protective cap 2 and the removal part 5 located on it can then be withdrawn. The bristles 12 are, by virtue of this, impregnated with the product, or product adheres to the bristles, the product not being shown in detail. By withdrawing the removal part 5, the bristles 12 necessarily travel through the wiping part 13 in one of the positions shown in the FIGS. 4 and 6 to 8. According to the setting selected, more or [less] product is wiped off and remains in the receptacle. The withdrawn removal part can then be used for application of the product in the usual manner.

All features disclosed are (in themselves) pertinent to the invention. The disclosure content of the associated/accompanying priority documents (copy of the prior application) is also hereby included in full in the disclosure of the application, including for the purpose of incorporating features of these documents in claims of the present application. The subsidiary claims in their optional subordinated formulation characterize independent inventive refinement of the prior art, in particular to undertake divisional applications based on these claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

-   1 receptacle -   2 protective cap -   3 storage part -   4 adjustment part -   5 removal part -   6 actuating part -   7 latching cam, latch knob -   8 latching cam part -   9 neck region -   10 handle end -   11 removal tip -   12 bristles -   13 wiping part (elastomer part) -   14 mounting portion -   15 guide -   16 base part -   17 outer surface -   18 outer thread -   19 outer thread -   20 wiping device -   21 guide 

1-12. (canceled)
 13. Receptacle (1) for a liquid or paste-like product, in particular a cosmetic product, the receptacle having a removal part (5), a storage space part (3) and a storage space for the product, the removal part (5) being introducible into the storage space and being withdrawable by being brought through a wiping device (20), which has an opening that can be altered as to its free opening area, and the receptacle having an adjustment part, which is accessible for the user from the outside and enables the action of the wiping device in order to adjust the wiping effect, wherein the wiping device (20) has a part which is passed through, the part being connected on the one hand to the storage space part and on the other hand to the adjustment part, but is connected to one of the parts, preferably the adjustment part, only in a manner which is rotationally fixed but is axially displaceable.
 14. Receptacle according to claim 13, wherein the opening is formed by a cylindrical region which is passed through.
 15. Receptacle according to claim 13, wherein the region which is passed through can be changed as to its degree of constriction.
 16. Receptacle according to claim 13, wherein the region which is passed through is formed from an elastic material.
 17. Receptacle according to claim 13, wherein the region which is passed through is formed from a rubber-like material.
 18. Receptacle according to claim 13, wherein the adjustment part (4) can be displaced relative to the storage part (3).
 19. Receptacle according to claim 13, wherein the adjustment part (4) is rotatable.
 20. Receptacle according to claim 18, wherein the adjustment part (4) is latchingly displaceable relative to the storage space part (3). 